Collapsed carton tube and ice cream carton formed therefrom

Abstract

A collapsed carton tube comprising hingedly connected bottom, front, rear, cover, front flap wall panels, and a pair of end assemblies. The end assemblies include hingedly connected bottom, front, cover, rear, and front flap wall panel end flaps. The end flaps are moveable in the following order into a closed position over end portions of the tube. First, the bottom wall panel end flaps substantially close the tube end portions. Second, the front wall panel end flaps overlap a front portion of the bottom wall panel end flaps with a rear portion exposed. Third, the cover wall panel end flaps, including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof, overlap an upper portion of the front wall panel end flaps and an upper rear corner portion of the bottom wall panel end flaps, the recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed rear portion of the bottom wall panel end flaps below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof. Fourth, the rear wall panel end flaps overlap a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flaps defining the recess, a rear portion of the front wall panel end flaps, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of the bottom wall panel end flaps. Finally the front flap wall panel end flaps overlap a front portion of the cover wall panel end flaps. An adhesive maintains the end flaps in a closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A carton for containing ice cream or the like erected from a collapsed carton tube formed from a carton blank, said carton comprising: a bottom wall panel, a front wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a rear wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a cover wall panel hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and a front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel along a front flap wall panel fold line and adhered to the front wall panel; and   a pair of end assemblies enclosing end portions of said carton, said end assemblies including bottom wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, front wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front wall panel, cover wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said cover wall panel, rear wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and front flap wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front flap wall panel,   the end flaps forming each of said end assemblies having been moved in the following order into a closed position over the end portions of the carton,   (1) said bottom wall panel end flap first being moved such that said bottom wall panel end flap substantially closes the associated end portion of the carton,   (2) next said front wall panel end flap being moved such that said front wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with a rear portion exposed,   (3) then the cover wall panel end flap including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof being moved such that said cover wall panel end flap overlaps an upper portion of said front wall panel end flap and an upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with said recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof,   (4) then the rear wall panel end flap being moved such that an outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap overlaps a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flap defining said recess, a rear portion of said front wall panel end flap, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap, and   (5) finally the front flap wall panel end flap being moved such that said front flap wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said cover wall panel end flap,   the end flaps forming each of said end assemblies being maintained in said closed position by an adhesive between the front portion of said cover wall panel end flap and said front flap wall panel end flap and an adhesive between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said rear wall panel end flap which extends within the recess in said cover wall panel end flap to thereby capture the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap between the outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap while enabling the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap to move unobstructively relative thereto.   
     
     
       2. A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein said front flap wall panel includes an opening means for selectively detaching a portion of said front flap wall panel from said front wall panel during a manual cover wall panel opening procedure. 
     
     
       3. A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein said adhesive is also disposed on an outer edge portion of said front wall panel end flap. 
     
     
       4. A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall panel end flaps have a length slightly smaller than a width of said bottom wall panel. 
     
     
       5. A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein the end flaps forming each end assembly are devoid of lips extending under said cover wall panel. 
     
     
       6. A carton as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said exposed rear portion of bottom wall panel end flaps and an interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps corresponding thereto includes at least one embossed portion for facilitating adhesive attachment between said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said rear wall panel end flaps, said embossed portion providing a protruding surface from one of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps for maintaining a surface-to-surface abutting relation between a surface of said embossed portion and an adjacent surface thereto as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position, said adjacent surface being the other of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps. 
     
     
       7. A carton as defined in claim 6, wherein said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps include a generally arcuate corner arrangement having a central embossed portion disposed on an interior surface thereof such that said central embossed portion is capable of being positioned outside said marginal edge portion as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position, said central embossed portion adapted to facilitate the adhesive attachment of said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps to said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps corresponding to said recessed portion by providing an interior surface portion of said rear wall panel end flaps in close proximity to exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps to compensate for a thickness of carton material disposed between said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps and said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position. 
     
     
       8. A carton as defined in claim 7, wherein said exposed rear portion of bottom wall panel end flaps include a bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion disposed thereon such that said bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion is capable of being positioned adjacent said central embossed portion and a middle and lower portion of said rear wall panel end flaps as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position. 
     
     
       9. A carton as defined in claim 8, wherein said central embossed portion is generally rectangular and is disposed on said rear wall panel end flaps in a generally parallel relation with said rear wall panel end flap fold lines, said central embossed portion having an upper portion capable of being positioned proximate to and outside or said marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flaps as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position, and a lower portion terminating along a line corresponding to an outer edge of said cover wall panel end flaps as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position, and said bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion is generally rectangular and disposed on said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps such that said embossed portion is generally parallel to said rear wall panel end flap fold lines and said bottom wall panel end flap fold lines as a result of said end assembly being in said closed position.   
     
     
       10. A carton as defined in claim 9, further comprising a protruding lip portion hingedly connected to said front wall panel along a lip fold line such that said protruding lip portion abuts an interior edge portion of said cover wall panel proximate to said front a flap wall panel fold line, and is biased into engagement with said interior edge portion of said cover wall panel thereby enhancing sealing of said carton tube along said front flap wall panel fold line. 
     
     
       11. A carton of as defined in claim 1, further comprising a protruding lip portion hingedly connected to said front wall panel along a lip fold line such that said protruding lip portion abuts an interior edge portion of said cover wall panel proximate to said front flap wall panel fold line, and is biased into engagement with said interior edge portion of said cover wall panel thereby enhancing sealing of said carton tube along said front flap wall panel fold line. 
     
     
       12. A carton as defined in claim 2, wherein said opening means for selectivity detaching a portion of front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel from said front wall panel comprises a tear-away strip defined by a series of parallel perforations along a predetermined perforation path formed in said front flap wall panel. 
     
     
       13. A carton package containing ice cream and the like therein, said carton package including a carton comprising: a bottom wall panel, a front wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a rear wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a cover wall panel hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and a front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel along a front flap wall panel fold line and adhered to the front wall panel; and   a pair of end assemblies enclosing end portions of said carton, said end assemblies including bottom wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, front wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front wall panel, cover wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said cover wall panel, rear wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and front flap wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front flap wall panel,   the end flaps forming each of said end assemblies having been moved in the following order into a closed position over the end portions of the carton,   (1) said bottom wall panel end flap first moved such that said bottom wall panel end flap substantially closes an end portion of the carton,   (2) next said front wall panel end flap moved such that said front wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with a rear portion exposed,   (3) then the cover wall panel end flap including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof moved such that said cover wall panel end flap overlaps an upper portion of said front wall panel end flap and an upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with said recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed portion of the bottom wall panel end flap below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof,   (4) then the rear wall panel end flap moved such that an outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap overlaps a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flap defining said recess, a rear portion of said front wall panel end flap, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap,   (5) finally the front flap wall panel end flap moved such that said front flap wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said cover wall panel end flap, and   the end flaps forming each of said end assemblies being maintained in said closed position by an adhesive between the front portion of said cover wall panel end flap and said front flap wall panel end flap and an adhesive between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said rear wall panel end flap which extends within the recess of said cover wall panel end flap to thereby capture the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap between the outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap while enabling the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap to move unobstructively relative thereto.   
     
     
       14. A carton package as defined in claim 13, wherein said front flap wall panel includes an opening means for selectively detaching a portion of said front flap wall panel from said front wall panel during a manual cover wall panel opening procedure. 
     
     
       15. A carton package as defined in claim 13, wherein said adhesive is also disposed on an outer edge portion of said front wall panel end flap. 
     
     
       16. A carton package as defined in claim 13, wherein the end flaps forming each end assembly are devoid of lips extending under said cover wall panel. 
     
     
       17. A carton package as defined in claim 13, wherein one of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and an interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps include at least one embossed portion thereon for facilitating adhesive attachment between said second area of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said rear wall panel end flaps, said embossed portion providing a protruding surface from one of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps thereby forming a surface-to-surface abutting relation between a surface of said embossed portion and an adjacent surface, said adjacent surface being the other of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flaps. 
     
     
       18. A carton package as defined in claim 17, wherein said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps include a generally arcuate corner arrangement having a central embossed portion disposed on an interior surface thereof such that said central embossed portion is positioned outside said marginal edge portion, said central embossed portion facilitating said adhesive attachment of said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps to said upper portion of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps corresponding to said recess by providing an interior surface portion of said rear wall panel end flaps in close proximity to said upper portion of said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps to compensate for a thickness of carton material disposed between said upper portion of said rear wall panel end flaps and said bottom wall panel end flaps. 
     
     
       19. A carton package as defined in claim 18, wherein said exposed rear portion of bottom wall panel end flaps include a bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion disposed on an exterior surface thereof such that said embossed portion is positioned adjacent said central embossed portion of said rear wall panel end flaps and adjacent a middle and lower portion of said rear wall panel end flaps. 
     
     
       20. A carton package as defined in claim 19, wherein said central embossed portion is generally rectangular and disposed on said rear wall panel end flaps in a generally parallel relation with said rear wall panel end flap fold lines, said central embossed portion having an upper portion positioned proximate to said outer edge of said recess and a lower portion terminating along a line corresponding to an outer edge of said cover wall panel end flaps, and said bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion is generally rectangular and disposed on said exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flaps such that said bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion is generally parallel to said rear wall panel end flap fold lines and said bottom wall panel end flap fold lines.   
     
     
       21. A carton package as defined in claim 20, further comprising a protruding lip portion hingedly connected to said front wall panel along a lip fold line such that said protruding lip portion abuts an interior edge portion of said cover wall panel proximate to said front flap wall panel fold line and is biased into engagement with said interior edge portion of said cover wall panel thereby enhancing sealing of said carton along said front flap wall panel fold line. 
     
     
       22. A carton package as defined in claim 13, further comprising a protruding lip portion hingedly connected to said front wall panel along a lip fold line such that said protruding lip portion abuts an interior edge portion of said cover wall panel proximate to said front flap wall panel fold line and is biased into engagement with said interior edge portion of said cover wall panel thereby enhancing sealing of said carton along said front flap wall panel fold line. 
     
     
       23. A carton for containing ice cream or the like erected from a collapsed carton tube formed from a carton blank, said carton comprising: a bottom wall panel, a front wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a rear wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a cover wall panel hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and a front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel along a front flap wall panel fold line and adhered to the front wall panel to form a collapsed parallelogram adapted to be opened up into a carton tube; and   a pair of end assemblies enclosing end portions of said carton, said end assemblies including bottom wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, front wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front wall panel, cover wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said cover wall panel, rear wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and front flap wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front flap wall panel,   the end flaps forming one end assembly have been moved to a closed position prior to filling said carton and the end flaps forming another end assembly have been moved in the following order into a closed position after said carton has been filled,   (1) said bottom wall panel end flap first being moved such that said bottom wall panel end flap substantially closes the end portion of the carton,   (2) next said front wall panel end flap being moved such that said front wall panel end flaps overlaps a front portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with a rear portion exposed,   (3) then the cover wall panel end flap including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof being moved such that said cover wall panel end flap overlaps an upper portion of said front wall panel end flap and an upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with said recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof,   (4) then the rear wall panel end flap being moved such that an outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap overlaps a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flap defining said recess, a rear portion of said front wall panel end flap, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap, and   (5) finally the front flap wall panel end flap being moved such that said front flap wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said cover wall panel end flap,   the end flaps forming said another end assembly being maintained in said closed position by an adhesive between the front portion of said cover wall panel end flap and said front flap wall panel end flap and an adhesive between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said rear wall panel end flap which extends within the recess in said cover wall panel end flap to thereby capture the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap between the outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap while enabling the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap to move unobstructively relative thereto.   
     
     
       24. A carton as defined in claim 23, wherein the end flaps forming said another end assembly are devoid of lips extending under said cover wall panel. 
     
     
       25. A carton package containing ice cream and the like therein, said carton package including a carton comprising: a bottom wall panel, a front wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a rear wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a cover wall panel hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and a front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel along a front flap wall panel fold line and adhered to the front wall panel; and   a pair of end assemblies enclosing end portions of said carton .package, said end assemblies including bottom wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, front wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front wall panel, cover wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said cover wall panel, rear wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and front flap wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front flap wall panel,   the end flaps forming one end assembly have been moved into a closed position over one end portion of the carton prior to filling said carton with ice cream or the like and the end flaps forming another end assembly have been moved in the following order into a closed position after said carton has been filled,   (1) said bottom wall panel end flap first moved such that said bottom wall panel end flap substantially closes the associated end portion of the carton,   (2) next said front wall panel end flap moved such that said front wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with a rear portion exposed,   (3) then the cover wall panel end flap including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof moved such that said cover wall panel end flap overlaps an upper portion of said front wall panel end flap and an upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with said recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed portion of the bottom wall panel end flap below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof,   (4) then the rear wall panel end flap moved such that an outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap overlaps a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flap defining said recess, a rear portion of said front wall panel end flap, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap,   (5) finally the front flap wall panel end flap moved such that said front flap wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said cover wall panel end flap, and   the end flaps forming said another end assembly being maintained in said closed position by an adhesive between the front portion of said cover wall panel end flap and said front flap wall panel end flap and an adhesive between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said rear wall panel end flap which extends within the recess in said cover wall panel end flap to thereby capture the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap between the outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap while enabling the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap to move unobstructively relative thereto.   
     
     
       26. A carton package as defined in claim 25, wherein the end flaps forming said another end assembly are devoid of lips extending under said cover wall panel. 
     
     
       27. A carton for containing ice cream or the like erected from a collapsed carton tube, said carton comprising: a bottom wall panel, a front wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a rear wall panel hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, a cover wall panel hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and a front flap wall panel hingedly connected to said cover wall panel and adhered to the front wall panel to form a collapsed parallelogram adapted to be opened up into said carton tube; and   a pair of end assemblies enclosing end portions of said carton, said end assemblies including bottom wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said bottom wall panel, front wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front wall panel along front wall panel end flap fold lines, cover wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said cover wall panel along cover wall panel end flap fold lines, rear wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said rear wall panel, and front flap wall panel end flaps hingedly connected to said front flap wall panel,   at least one of said cover wall panel end flap fold lines being a reverse barscore as viewed from the side of the carton forming the exterior surface thereof, said reverse barscore being constructed and arranged to enable the associated cover wall panel end flaps to be folded outward from said carton as said carton with one end assembly closed enters a carton filling station to prevent the carton from tilting under a filling head thereby reducing malfunctions occurring during filling of the carton,   said bottom wall panel end flap having a width slightly larger than a width of said rear wall panel such that an outer edge of said bottom wall panel end flap overlaps an inner portion of said reverse barscore when said bottom wall panel is moved into said closed position over said end portion of said carton, and   said reverse barscore providing a concave groove receiving said outer edge of said bottom wall panel end flap therein.   
     
     
       28. A carton as defined in claim 27, wherein the end flaps forming said one of said end assemblies are devoid of lips extending under said cover wall panel. 
     
     
       29. A carton as defined in claim 27, wherein the end flaps forming said one of said end assemblies have been moved in the following order into a closed position over the one end portion of the carton, (1) said bottom wall panel end flap first being moved such that said bottom wall panel end flap substantially closes the associated end portion of the carton tube,   (2) next said front wall panel end flap being moved such that said front wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with a rear portion exposed,   (3) then the cover wall panel end flap including a recess in a rear lower corner thereof being moved such that said cover wall panel end flap overlaps an upper portion of said front wall panel end flap and an upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap with said recess leaving exposed an upper portion of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap below the overlapped upper rear corner portion and rearwardly of the overlapped upper portion thereof,   (4) then the rear wall panel end flap being moved such that an outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap overlaps a marginal edge portion of the cover wall panel end flap defining said recess, a rear portion of said front wall panel end flap, and substantially the entire exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap, and   (5) finally the front flap wall panel end flap being moved such that said front flap wall panel end flap overlaps a front portion of said cover wall panel end flap,   the end flaps forming said one end assembly being maintained in said closed position by an adhesive between the front portion of said cover wall panel end flap and said front flap wall panel end flap and an adhesive between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel and said rear wall panel end flap which extends within the recess in said cover wall panel end flap to thereby capture the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap between the outer edge portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the upper rear corner portion of said bottom wall panel end flap while enabling the marginal edge portion of said cover wall panel end flap to move unobstructively relative thereto.   
     
     
       30. A carton as defined in claim 29, wherein a length of said bottom wall panel end flap is slightly less than a width of said bottom wall panel. 
     
     
       31. A carton as defined in claim 30, wherein said front flap wall panel includes an opening means for selectively detaching a portion of said front flap wall panel from said front wall panel during a manual cover wall panel opening procedure. 
     
     
       32. A carton as defined in claim 31, wherein one of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and an interior surface of said rear wall panel end flap corresponding thereto includes at least one embossed portion for facilitating adhesive attachment between the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said rear wall panel end flap, said embossed portion providing a protruding surface from one of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flap for maintaining a surface-to-surface abutting relation between a surface of said embossed portion and an adjacent surface thereto as a result of said one end assembly being in said closed position, said adjacent surface being the other of the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap and said interior surface of said rear wall panel end flap. 
     
     
       33. A carton as defined in claim 32, wherein the upper portion of said rear wall panel end flap includes a generally arcuate corner arrangement having a central embossed portion disposed on an interior surface thereof such that said central embossed portion is capable of being positioned outside said marginal edge portion as a result of said one end assembly being in said closed position, said central embossed portion adapted to facilitate the adhesive attachment of the upper portion of said rear wall panel end flap to the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap corresponding to said recess by providing an interior surface portion of said rear wall panel end flap in close proximity to the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap to compensate for a thickness of carton material disposed between the upper portion of said rear wall panel end flap and the exposed rear portion of said bottom wall panel end flap as a result of said one end assembly being in said closed position. 
     
     
       34. A carton as defined in claim 33, wherein the exposed rear portion of bottom wall panel end flap includes a bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion disposed thereon such that said bottom wall panel end flap embossed portion is capable of being positioned adjacent said central embossed portion and a middle and lower portion of said rear wall panel end flap as a result of said one end assembly being in said closed position.